Temporary support for artificial teeth



Dec; 10, 1945. s. MYERSON TEMPORARY SUPPORT FOR ARTIFICIAL TEETHOriginal Filed Aug. 26', 1940 Patented Dec. 10, 1946 I 2,412,352.TEMPORARY SUPPORT FOR ARTIFICIAL TEE Simon Myerson, Brookline, Mass.

Original application August 26, 1940, Serial No.

1943, Serial No. 482,110

13 Claims.

This invention pertains to dentistry and relates more particularly to atemporary supporting device for artificial teeth, designed for use inobserving the efiect of such teeth in a persons mouth before the teethare permanently fixed in a denturethe present application being adivision of the copending application of Simon Myerson, Serial No.354,205, filed August 26, 1940, which is a continuation-in-part of thecopending application of Simon Myerson, Serial No. 313,077, for Toothholder, filed January 9, 1940. In said latter application there isdisclosed a tooth holder designed temporarily to hold a group ofartificial teeth, for exampl six anterior teeth, in a manner such as ina general way to simulate the appearance of teeth permanently mounted ina denture or in the natural gum, and, at the same time, to constitute apractical shipping card for transmission of the teeth to the dentallaboratory or dentist, as well as to constitute an acceptable mount fordisplaying the teeth for ready observation. Said latter application alsodiscloses, broadly, certain forms of attaching devices operativetemporarily to support the holder, with its complement of teeth, withinthe patients mouth so that the dentist may observe the teeth, ifdesired, from a distance.

The present invention relates more especially to such supporting orattachin means, one object of the invention being the provision of asupporting appliance including means operative temporarily to secure theholder to another part, for instance to the roof of a persons mouth.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be mademanifest in the following more detailed description and by reference tothe accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation of thetooth holder such as may be supported by the attaching means of thepresent invention, showing six anterior t teeth mounted therein;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan View of the device shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic side elevation showing the tooth holder of thepresent invention mounted upon a desirable form of attaching means andarranged in position for observation within a patients mouth;

Fig. 51s a plan view, to larger scale, of the attaching means wherebythe tooth holder is so held in position in the mouth;

Fig. 6 is an elevation, partly in section, on the line 6-6 of Fig; I

Fig. '7 is a section on the line 'I'! of Fig. 5;

Divided and this application April 7,

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig, '7 but illustrating a modifiedconstruction;

Fig. 9 is a front elevation of the suction-cup supporting member of Fig.6, the cup being broken away;

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing a modification;

Fig. 11 is a side elevation, partly in vertical section, illustrating anappliance specifically designed to support a single artificial tooth forobservation;

'Fig. 12 is a perspective View, to large scale,

showing details of the supporting appliance illus- I treated in Fig. 11;

Fig.' 13 is a plan view similar to Fig. 3 but illustrating amodification;

Fig..14 is a View similar to Fig. 11, but showing a holder like that ofFig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral I vdesignates a novel anddesirable tooth-holding device of the kind disclosed in the above-namedapplication of Simon Myerson. This tooth holder I maybe made 'of anysuitable material, for instance hard rubber or gum-colored metal and maycomprise one or more parts, but the preferred constructionconsists of anintegral mass of a synthetic resin. Resins derived from methacrylic acidhave been found particularly desirable for dental work.

As more particularly illustrated, by way of example, in Figs. 2 and 3,this holder is curved in horizontal section substantially like the humangum ridge and comprises the rear portion 2 and a front portion or apron3.

While the holder is here shown as curved, a straight or concave holder(otherwise like that illustrated) is useful as a support for teethduring shipment. The rear and front portions, 2 and 3 respectively, areintegrallyjoined at the upper edge 4 of the holder, said upperedge'being properly shaped to fit between the gum ridge and the innersurface of the patients lip. The parts 2 and. '3 diverge downwardly fromthe upper part of theholder, thereby providing a socket cavity which maybe a single elongate horizontal groove extending from one end to theother of the holder, or, if preferred, this groove may be divided toform a plurality of independent sockets. When hereinafter reference ismade to this feature of the device, it should be understood that theterm "socket or chamber is intended to designate either a single groovefor the reception of a series of teeth or to indicate an arrangementin'which independent sockets for the several teeth are employed. Thissocket, cavity,

chamber or groove is designed to receive toothattaching means, forinstance a body 5 of dental waX (usually thermoplastic) into which thegingival ends of the teeth 7 may be pressed so that the teeth will beheld removably in desired position within the holder by the retainingaction of this was. Preferably the socket chamber 'is of such dimensionsas will permit the body ofwax to embed the usual attaching pins 6 of theteeth.

so as thereby to furnish a very secure anchorage. As here illustrated,the teeth are of anoveland improved type wherein the incisal'portion isor relatively greater transparency than the upper or body portion, andin which stria-s'imul'ating inserts, and in some instances: simulatedfillings, are incorporated.

The teeth I are mounted, as just stated, with their gingival portionssunk or embeddedin the body 5 of wax in the socket chamber and in orderto simulate the appearance of the human gum, the front surface of thegum-simulating part or apron 3 is properlycolored and "configured;and-has its lowerpa'rt'tapere'd downwardly and providedwith 'apluralityofarcuate recesses for the reception of the necks of the individualteeth.The'portions of the apron which separate these recesses form cusps 9which intervene between adjacent teeth. Preferably the waxfi 'is ofa'thermoplastic character such that it may be softenedby the applicationofj'heat and when allowed to cool hardens again. I Thus the teetlrmay beembedded inthe' wax'while "the latter is "soft and become firmly fixedin the holder whenthe wax hardens, although they 'may 3be"removed-individually whendesired;

The holder i has a rearw'ardlyextending integral "lug or boss 19 which,as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, is furnishedwith'an opening or slot llforthe reception'of an 'attachingkey or pin asdisclosed inapplication'Serial No. 354,205, the lug l0 also constituting means IfOIengage- 'm-ent by "a clamping device forming part of the 'ta'ngularcontour so that when the lug is'fit ted in the'opening th'e holdercannot tipi'sidewise. The

; 'blockiz is furnished with a'transversepassage intersecting theopening 'l3 and iniwhi'chis'disposed a pivot pin I' l. This'pivot pinmay be arranged loosely inthe passage or it maybe of flexible "materialand is "engaged at its contralpart bye/clamping screw! 5 having aknurled hea'dH. This clamping screw l5 engages a screwthreaded openingin the'block l2 and when it'is' turned, it may be "caused to bearagainst the c'enterpart of the pin l lso 'as to'cramp'the lattera'gainstthe lug' ID and thus securethe holder support 22 (Fig. 6).. This cupsupport is elo'n gate and tubular and closed at one end. The support 22is provided with an external boss 23 upon which is mounted a suction cup24 of soft rubber or the like which is designed to engage an innersurface of the patients mouth, for example, the mucous membrane of thehard palate indicated at '25 in Fig. 4. When the'parts are thusdisposed, the gum ridge 26 fits closely against the rear surface of therear part 2 of the holder I.

Within the tubular cup-support 22 there are arranged three loose pins21, 28 and 29, respectively, (Fig. 6).. The opposed ends of adjacentpins are shaped to provide pairs of clampinggja-ws between which aredisposed the parts '20 .and 12!, "respectively. The pin 29 projectsbeyond the open end of the support 26 and its outer end 30 engages theinner surface of a screw-threaded cap 3!, which is screwed onto the endof the support 22. When the cap 3! 1's;partly unscrewed it leaves thepinsf 2Lf-Z8 and =29 free to separate, thus permitting the rods 20 andZI to slide freely with reference to the supportZZ. The openings in thewall 22 through which-the rods 20 and 2| *pass are elongatecircumferentially of the support (Fig. '9) so that the support may pivotabout "the-axisprovided bythe pins 21, 2 8 'and 29,;said axis "extendingsubstantially horizontally'an'd transversely of-the mouth whenthedeviceis in use. In the same waygthe'block i2 is freeto'pivot aboutthe pin '14"when the -clamping screw f5 is'loosen'ed.

Moreover, when screw IS is loosenedthe-boss 1 0" may be "adjustedlongitudinally within the-opening [3. The tightening-0f the screw I5locks the block 12 both against ipivoting and against sliding "on theboss "H1. Obviously,-'ball-andsocket joints 'may be substituted for theconnections "herein specifically illustrated, whereby the bracket isadjustably united to the holder and/orthe cup-support,respectively.

"In 'Fig. {8 a modified arrangement shown wherein "the boss ha of thetooth Q holder isf-of circulartransverse section instead of rectangular.The'operiing'in'the block 112 which 'receives the boss m is curved 'incontour but in other respects the arrangementis'generally-similar tothat of 'Fig. *7, 'and 'whenthe clamping screw 15 istight'ened; theblockis prevented from pivoting "on the block I4, anduthe-bo'ss -lil= ofthe; holderis prevent-ed'iromsliding in thefblock.

When the holder I is secured to the "support*- ing or attaching' meansillustrated in Figs. *5 to '9, it may be placed in 'therpatients 'mouthand" temporarily suspended and firmly held. in place by the attaching'means including 'thefSLlC- tion "cup 24. "By reason of"the severaladjust- 'ments provided, 'the *holder'may be disposed at the properposition in the jmouth regardless o'f the size of the mouth or theposition "off-thefgum Q ridge, and without distorting 'th-e lipsrandwhen soarrange'dthe'teeth maybe observed by "the and are secured theforward ends of a pair of wire r'ods .l8 and ['9 '(Fig. -5),respectively, constituting elements of a bracket by means of which theblockil'lmay be attached to asuppo'rt.

The membeirs lt and I'9"proje'ct rearwardlyia'nd comprise substantiallyparallel-portions ZUa'nd 2| whose rear ends -.passfreelylthroughopenings the Wall of a substantially cylindrical cu'dentist and by the patient with "the aid of a mirror, from a distance ifdesired. The dentist and patient'may thus, obtainan accurate idea of theappearance that thefteethwould have if permanently mounted ini'a"denture. Sincefthe teeth "1 are removably secured in th e holderj-l, itis possible (if the dentis'ttdoes 'notilike.ithe"ap pearance of theteeth wh'en first tried, in the patients mouth) to fremovethe entheholder and substitute another fhavinga "differing set of teeth, or hemay remove indivi dual ;teeth froma vholder and replace themwith'lothertee'thvor rearrange them in the holder so as to obtain themost desirable effects and those most closely resemblingthe appearanceof the patients own natural teeth. When the dentist has thus determined,by trial, the form,'color and'size of tooth which gives the best effectsand how they should be best arranged, he may then employ the assemblagewhich has thus been found to give the best result, in making up thedenture in which may be permanently fixed the same teeth which have beentried and found satisfactory when arranged in the holder.

As illustrated in Figs. 11 and 12, a single tooth T is arranged with itspin or pins 6 embedded in a mass of wax 5 within a socket cavity in apart Ill (preferably a horizontally flattened tube) having securedthereto an attaching bracket lfi to which is fixed the suction cup 24*by means of which the appliance may be temporarily held in the-mouth.Instead of filling the part Iii with wax for the reception of the pinsof a single tooth; the part lli may be made of such dimensions (Fig. 14)as to receive the lug ill of the holder l, preferably with a slidingfit, so that the holder may be adjusted longitudinally of the part W.The arrangement of Fig. 15 thus provides a somewhat simpler type ofsupport for the holder than that previously described.

In Fig. 10, the attaching lug iil is shown as a separate element, forinstance a length of flexible metal, having one end embedded in thesubstance of the holder, its projecting portion being designed to bereceived in the socket of a hracket'or such other supporting means asmay be employed.

In Fig. 13 a further modified form of holder i is illustrated, suchholder being in general similar to the holder 1 above described buthaving extensions 40 reaching around to the molar region of the mouth,and which may constitute supports for molar teeth 42 and also forelongate suction cups 43 designed to engage the molar region of the gumand thus to afford additional attaching means for temporarily retainingthe holder in the mouth.

While as herein specifically illustrated by way of example, the teethare shown as upper teeth, and in describing the teeth and holder, suchterms as upper and lower may have been used, it is to be understood thatall such expressions have been employed merely for convenience indescription and without limiting intent, and that the appliance hereinclaimed is intended for use with lower teeth as well as for use withupper teeth.

While certain desirable embodiments of the invention have herein beenillustrated and described, it is to be understood that the invention isnot necessarily limited to these particular embodiments, but is to beregarded as broadly inclusive of all modified constructions,substitutions of material, and variation in arrangement of parts whichfall within the scope of the annexed claims.

I claim:

1. An appliance for temporarily supporting a tooth display holder withinthe mouth, said appliance comprising substantially rigid parts which arerelatively adjustable for properly locating the holder both up and downand from front and rear, one of said parts being designed and arrangedfor attachment to the holder, and another of said parts being providedwith means, operative, independently of the relative position of thejaws, temporarily to afiix said latter part to an inner surface of themouth, and means operative to fix 6 said parts in chosen relativeposition of adjust ment.

-2. An appliance for temporarily supporting a display holder forartificial teeth within the mouth, said appliance comprising relativelymovable, substantially rigid parts whereby the holder may be adjustablyand properly positioned either up or down or from front to rear, meansfor fixing said relatively movable parts in chosen position ofadjustment, and an attaching element, spaced rearwardly and posteriorlyof the holder, engageable with an inner surface of the mouth andoperative, independently of the position of the opposing jaw, to suspendthe entire appliance together with the holder from the intra-oralsurface.

3. An appliance for temporarily supporting ar-- tificial teeth in themouth for observation, the appliance being constructed and arranged tobe located wholly within the oral cavity and temporarily to positiontooth-holding means within themouth thereby to permit observation,between the parted lips, of a tooth or teeth carried by the holdingmeans, the appliance comprising a clamp comprising relatively movableparts operative releasably to engage between them a part of thetooth-holding means, a suction cup, a bracket connecting the cup andclamp, and means adjustably uniting the bracket to the cup.

l. A support for dental use, said support comprising a clamp engageablewith a part to be supported in the mouth, a suction cup, a bracketconnecting the clamp and cup, the bracket being pivotally connected bothto the cup and clamp, the clamp comprising a single locking elementoperative concomitantly to secure said part to the clamp and to fix theclamp against rotational movement relative to the bracket.

5. A support for dental use, said support comprising a clamp engageablewith a part to be supported in the mouth, a suction cup, a bracketconnecting the clamp and cup, means uniting thecup to the bracket, saidlatter means including: a guide in which a part of the bracket mayslide,v and means operative concomitantly to secure the; bracket againstsliding 0r rotative movement with. reference to the cup.

6. A support for dental use, said support comprising a clamp, a suctioncup and a bracket, a pivot pin uniting the bracket and clamp, the clamphaving therein a socket, one wall of which is constituted by said pivotpin, said socket being designed for the reception of a part which is tobe supported in the mouth, and a clamping screw operative to press thepivot pin against said part thereby concomitantly to fix said partwithin the socket and to prevent movement of the clamp relative to thebracket.

7 A support for dental use, said support comprising a clamp, a suctioncup and a bracket, means uniting the clamp and the bracket, and partsuniting the cup to the bracket, said latter parts including pivot meansdefining an axis, extending transversely of the mouth when the supportis in use, about which the bracket may swing, and means operative toprevent relative movement of the cup and bracket about the axis of saidpivot means.

8. A support for dental use, said support comprising a clamp, a suctioncup and a bracket, means uniting the clamp and bracket, and elementsuniting the cup and bracket, said elements including means providing aguide in which the bracket may slide, and means operative to pre- 7 ventmovement ofthebracketirelatively to said guide. i

9. A support for dental use, said support comprising a clamp, a suctioncup and a bracket,.

means uniting the clamp and bracket, parts uniting the cup and bracket,said latter parts including a'tubular housing fixed to the cup, saidhousing having guide openings for the bracket whereby the bracket may beslid relativelyto the housing, and means within the housing forclampingthe bracket against movement relative thereto.

10. A support for dental use, said supportcomprising a clamp, a suctioncup and a bracket,

means uniting the clamp and bracket, partsuniting the cup and thebracket, said latter parts including a tubular housing fixed tothe cupthe housing having guide means for the bracket, said guide means beingso constructed and arranged that the housing may be rotated relative tothe bracket as Well as slid longitudinally of the latter, locking meanswithin the housing operative toprevent relative movement of the housingand bracket, and means for actuating said locking means. I 7

11. An appliance for temporarily supporting artificial teeth in themouth for observation, said appliance including a part constructed andaroral surface, a rigid part having therein a socket for the receptionoftooth-holding means, said ranged for adhesive attachment to anintrasocket opening forwardly, and substantially rigid uniting meansconnecting said parts in-spaced relation, the appliance being soconstructed and arranged as to permit-front toq'ear relative man- '8 ualadjustmentxto a predetermined degreev of the toothahclding meansandxsaid attaching p'art.

12.: appliance for temporarily supporting artificial-teethinithe'mouthfor observation, said appliance including a holder of normallysubstantially, rigidand shape retaining material, .the

holder having-a'cavity for the reception-of plastic material operativeremovably to secure teeth tnthaholder, the holder having an elongateattachinglug projecting from its lingual side, a

to the holder, the holder having; an attaching lug projecting from itslingual side, and, a support including a length of tubing having itsaxissub,- stantially horizontal, the tubing being of such transverseinternal dimensions andcontour as to receive the lug of the holder witha'sliding fit,

a, bracket secured to the length of tubing, and asuction cup attached tothe bracketwhereby the entire appliance may be'removably attached to asurface of themouth.

V V SIMON MYERSONL

